Advocates celebrate health care reform's 1st birthday

by Corey Moore

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Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the health care reform law that President Barack Obama initiated. Advocates held a pre-birthday event this morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

They rolled out a large cake that read “Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Affordable Care Act.” The group included federal lawmakers, supporters and people who say they benefited from the legislation President Obama signed a year ago.

Through short speeches and personal stories, proponents hailed the measure as a landmark health care law. Among some key benefits they highlighted were the elimination of “pre-existing” condition clauses that eliminate coverage for children, half-off discounts for Medicare beneficiaries who struggle to pay for prescription drugs and a provision that allows young adults up to age 26 to remain on their parents’ health plans.